17: Chapter 17 Late-Night Confession

The night was deep. Since Zi Ji and Bi Ji had been keeping watch previously, and tonight was relatively safe, it was Bai Qi and Ah Yin's turn to keep watch. Zi Ji and Bi Ji were already fast asleep by the fire, their breathing steady and long.

The two of them looked silently at the fire in front of them; neither spoke, just watching in silence.

The firelight flickered on Ah Yin's face, bright one moment and dim the next, making it impossible to tell what she was thinking.

Bai Qi stole glances at Ah Yin's face. Suddenly, a thought occurred to him, and he said to Ah Yin with a hint of mischief.

"Sister Ah Yin, I know everything."

"Ah? What?" Suddenly questioned, Ah Yin looked over blankly and replied somewhat dazed.

Just as she finished speaking, Ah Yin seemed to suddenly realize something and asked nervously.

"You... you know everything?"

Hearing Ah Yin's response, Bai Qi, who had originally intended to tease her, realized that Sister Ah Yin really was hiding something from him.

Then Bai Qi thought, it shouldn't be Aunt Rou, nor could it be Da Ming or Er Ming. At this point, Bai Qi's gaze shifted to the sleeping Bi Ji and Zi Ji, then he gently shook his head—it definitely couldn't be those two. That left only Xiao Wu.

On the other side, seeing Bai Qi suddenly fall silent, Ah Yin's expression became even more nervous.

After thinking it through, Bai Qi looked at Ah Yin with a mischievous glint in his eyes and said.

"Sister Ah Yin, Xiao Wu has already told me everything. You're not still going to pretend you don't know, are you?"

Hearing this, Ah Yin was so nervous that she even clasped her hands together, but she still played dumb.

"What exactly did Xiao Wu tell you?"

Hearing Ah Yin's words, Bai Qi became even more certain of his thoughts. He suddenly stood up and leaned close to Ah Yin's ear.

"I won't say, because I want to hear Sister Ah Yin tell me personally."

Ah Yin's ears had turned red the moment Bai Qi approached. By the time he finished speaking, the redness on her ears had spread all the way to her cheeks. Her whole body froze, and her mind went blank.

After all, Ah Yin never would have imagined Xiao Wu would sell her out. The truth was, she hadn't; it was purely Bai Qi's speculation and baiting.

"I—I—" Ah Yin stammered, unable to utter a complete sentence for a long time.

Sitting back in his original spot, Bai Qi found Ah Yin's current appearance very cute. He didn't rush her, just sat cross-legged with his chin in his hand, waiting patiently by her side, his eyes full of tenderness and smiles.

Clearly, no matter how dense Bai Qi was, he had figured out Ah Yin and Xiao Wu's secret. This made Bai Qi, who aspired to collect the Douluo Golden Hairpins, feel that this joke was very timely.

After a long while, Ah Yin seemed to have made a decision and said to Bai Qi.

"Um, Xiao Qi, I seem to like you. It's a different kind of liking than for family, like wanting to be with you forever. Before you came back, I always thought it was the kind for a junior, but these past few days' experiences have made me realize it's not. I—wuwuwu."

At this point, Bai Qi covered Ah Yin's mouth and said gently.

"That's enough, Sister Ah Yin. I already know. You don't have to force yourself anymore."

Being silenced, Ah Yin stared at him blankly. Since she couldn't speak while her mouth was covered, she just blinked in confusion.

Bai Qi slowly released his hand and said to Ah Yin.

"Actually, I said it a long time ago—I want both you and Xiao Wu."

Ah Yin's eyes widened slightly, her lips moved, but she didn't know what to say.

After a long time, Ah Yin finally asked.

"So, Xiao Qi. When did Xiao Wu tell you?"

"Ah?"

Bai Qi was stunned for a moment, clearly not expecting Ah Yin to ask that.

Then he gave a soft smile.

"Actually, Sister Ah Yin, I was just bluffing you earlier. Xiao Wu never said anything to me at all."

Hearing this, Ah Yin was slightly stunned. Then her expression changed from that momentary daze to disbelief, and finally to a look that said, 'I really can't do anything with you.'

Then she reached out and gave Bai Qi's head a light swat.

After being swatted, Bai Qi wasn't angry; he still said to Ah Yin with a grin.

"Then Sister Ah Yin isn't allowed to be angry after hitting me."

Ah Yin rolled her eyes at Bai Qi, also shocked by his shameless behavior. She forced her unruly lips to curve down and said.

"What's the use of being angry? Everything's already been said anyway."

"Hehe."

Bai Qi scratched his head sheepishly.

After everything settled, the two of them fell silent again.

After a moment of silence, Ah Yin said.

"You said you want both—then what should we do in the future?"

Bai Qi thought for a moment and then said to Ah Yin.

"We'll worry about future things in the future. But I will definitely protect you all."

Bai Qi's voice wasn't loud, but it was like a nail driven into place, smoothing over Ah Yin's uneasy heart.

"Mm."

Ah Yin didn't say anything more, and the two of them just quietly watched the fire in front of them.

Beside the fire, Zi Ji rolled over, mumbled something in her sleep, and fell back into a deep slumber. Only the faint, lingering smile on her lips made one wonder if she had dreamed of something or heard something.

Bi Ji, who was sleeping behind them, slightly opened one eye, glanced at Bai Qi and Ah Yin watching the fire, curved her lips, and silently closed her eyes again, thinking to herself.

"It seems the Lord's arrangement can be carried out."

In the latter half of the night.

Bi Ji got up, came to the two of them, and said.

"It's the second half of the night. Go to sleep. We have to travel tomorrow. Your human bodies can't handle it. Leave the rest of the time to me."

Bai Qi looked up at Bi Ji. He was going to say it was fine, but hearing her words, he didn't decline further and said.

"Then I'll have to trouble you, Sister Bi Ji."

After saying that, Bai Qi stood up and stretched.

Ah Yin also stood up to stretch her limbs after sitting for so long. She patted away the non-existent dust on her clothes, glanced at Bai Qi, then walked to a spot against the wall, sat down, and began to rest with her eyes closed.

Bai Qi, on the other hand, looked at Ah Yin's actions with some awkwardness. He helplessly walked past Bi Ji and sat down next to Zi Ji. After glancing at Ah Yin, he also began to cultivate.

Seeing their actions, Bi Ji slightly turned her body to make way for Bai Qi, then gave a soft, amused smile.

The rest of the night passed without a word.

When the sky was just beginning to brighten, Zi Ji woke up.

She looked at Bi Ji, who had already cleared the cave entrance and was looking at the scenery outside, then at Ah Yin, and finally at Bai Qi, who was sitting next to her cultivating. She felt something was a bit strange, but couldn't quite put her finger on it.

"Awake so early?" Bi Ji said without turning her head.

Zi Ji stood up, stretched her muscles, and walked to Bi Ji's side, saying matter-of-factly.

"I'm hungry."

Bi Ji turned her head to look at Zi Ji and said.

"Just bear with it. We don't have the food on us; it's with Bai Qi. Wait for him to finish cultivating."